Clothes get stained all the time—whether it’s due to age or sudden unfortunate spills. In such situations, people often turn to bleach, as it’s a common stain removing laundry ingredient that every household’s familiar with. However, the chemicals in bleach often exacerbate stains when used on delicate fabrics or spotless whites.

Since bleach stains are permanent, it’s vital to exercise caution when using it on clothes that may be prone to damage or further stains.

Check the Labels

Whether you get chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, or oxygen bleach, it’s important to read the labels and directions. Every bleach solution has a different chemical structure and reacts with different fabrics differently. Some bleaches act as disinfectants and work best on natural fibers such as cotton. Others can dissolve the color of the fabric or leave stains behind if not diluted or applied to just one spot.

You’ll also find care labels on all the clothing items you own. This will help you understand whether bleach will react positively or negatively with the fabric. If you’re not sure about what to do, take the stained item to a commercial laundry service for professional cleaning.

Test the Item

Even if you’ve memorized the directions, never use bleach directly on clothing without testing it first. Mix a teaspoon of bleach with 2–3 teaspoons of water and apply it on an inconspicuous spot—with a cotton swab or spray bottle.  If you observe the transfer of colors or discoloration as the spot dries, don’t use the bleach.

Keep it Hot

The effectiveness of bleach heavily depends on water temperature. This is especially true for chlorine bleach, which works best in hot water. This, however, doesn’t mean that you have to pour in scalding hot water—anywhere between 120–125 degrees is ideal.

Add Detergent

Detergent and bleach can be combined for optimal results, however every product works differently. Going back to the first point, just make sure that there’s no warning against mixing the two products. A high-quality detergent will render the best results when used together with bleach.

As long as you follow these techniques, your clothes will be protected from bleach stains and damage caused by the enzymes in it. A better alternative is to not take any risk and take your clothing to a laundry service that deals in stain removal.

Washington DC residents can call us up at (202) 723-9535 for a free dry cleaning pick up and delivery dc. We also deal in suede and leather cleaning, wash and fold and shoe repair and shine.

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